Beyond
by onebigscribble
Summary: After stumbling upon the secrets of the Veil at work, Hermione sets out to bring Sirius back from the Beyond. Rated M for language and adult situations. HG/SB. AU.
1. A Department of Mysteries

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter or anything relating to it. Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.

**A/N**: Hey! So after taking a poll on my profile I've decided to go with people's opinion and write a Sirius/Hermione story. I'll try to update it as often as possible, aiming at a chapter per week once I have the first few chapters set up! A couple of notes about the story:

Firstly, some characters are not dead as they are in canon, e.g. Remus. The pairings also do not follow canon, for the most part.

Secondly, although the story will obviously be about Sirius and Hermione, there will also be elements of adventure amongst the romance and drama.

Finally, I hope you enjoy reading this. I love getting feedback, so leave a review and let me know what you thought, whether it be positive or negative :)

**- Scribbles - **

* * *

Beyond

Chapter 1: A Department of Mysteries

* * *

Hermione rattled the black door's handle and cast an unlocking charm experimentally. Satisfied that the Love Chamber was still safely locked and warded, she ticked off another item on the long list jammed into the clipboard that rested on her arm.

She paused briefly to sniff at the smell wafting from under the door. Hermione sighed at the tantalising scents of fresh parchment, mint, freshly cut grass, and something she couldn't quite identify. She wrinkled her nose in frustration as she tried to place the mystery smell. It was a combination of wax candles, the pages of dusty books, and a slightly spicy musk. She wanted to envelop herself in the aroma and revel in the warm feelings it evoked.

Reluctantly, Hermione gave her head a mind-clearing shake. Rumour had it that the Love Chamber contained a fountain of Amortentia; the biggest supply of the potion in the world. If that was the case, Hermione knew she had to move on with her inspection lest she stand outside the ever-locked room to revel in its sensory caresses.

She walked down the immaculate hallway, the sound of her footsteps echoing through the maze of corridors that made up the Ministry of Magic's lowest floor. Being accepted as an Unspeakable in the Department of Mysteries two years ago had been a day of excitement only matched by the day she got her Hogwarts letter. Unfortunately, since her last project had ended, Hermione had been assigned to the routine inspection of the countless rooms in the Department. Ever since the break-in during her fifth year, the Unspeakables had upped their security measures.

Hermione opened a door and froze at the memories it evoked.

She stood at the entrance to the Death Chamber, staring around at the amphitheatre-like room that was empty except from the archway placed in the centre on a raised dais. The insubstantial curtain that hung through the centre of the arch fluttered silently, caught in a nonexistent breeze. Light distorted and refracted around the archway, creating an ominous glow punctuated with shifting streaks of rainbow light.

The Veil looked innocuous. Looking at it now Hermione could hardly believe that this was the reason Harry was without a godfather. She hadn't been back since that night and seeing the Veil standing exactly as it had five years ago reopened the deep wound that grief and war had left behind.

Hermione could almost see Sirius and his cocky grin as he battled Bellatrix. She bit her lip as she saw Sirius in her mind's eye, tumbling backwards with shock on his face before he was engulfed by the Veil like so many wizards before him.

Not wanting to stay any longer, Hermione ticked the Death Chamber off on her list and exited the eerily silent room.

She breathed a sigh of relief as she closed the door behind her. Finally, after a working week of traipsing around different rooms she had completed her task. Maybe now she could get back to her office and start deciding what she would research next. With her spirits lifted by the thought of a new project, Hermione continued down the corridor that joined back up with the entrance chamber.

Just before she turned the corner, Hermione noticed something rather strange. Another black door stood on her left as though it had always been there. With a frown and a quick flick through her list, it soon became clear to Hermione that this room was not catalogued. She approached the door and examined it.

It wasn't unheard of for rooms to appear in the Department of Mysteries. Occasionally Unspeakables had been known to stumble upon rooms like the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts or rooms that had lost their wards after centuries of invisibility. The dangers of entering such a room were numerous but the prospect of discovering previously hidden knowledge was too tempting to ignore.

Hermione reached a hand out tentatively towards the doorknob and prayed that it wasn't locked. She held her breath as she turned the handle. The door swung open with a creak and as the light from the hallway flooded in, Hermione's breath hitched.

The room was small and rectangular, no larger than her office but instead of a desk and chair filling the space the room was piled with boxes. Hermione stepped into the room and peered inside a box. Her heart started to thud with excitement as she observed the piles of ancient books and age-worn manuscripts.

Immediately marking the room on her small map attached to the clipboard, Hermione hopped from one foot to the other with impatience to examine each individual book and manuscript. She cast a quick trace on the room and reached a hand out to the nearest book...

Her hand dropped to her side and with a frustrated sigh she turned away. Hermione supposed that she should follow protocol, after all who knew what charms or curses were on the various items. Reluctantly, Hermione left the room and set out to find Kingsley Shacklebolt. Instead of the Department taking responsibility for any new finds, some ancient piece of legislation demanded that she get permission from the Minister of Magic.

Hermione raced to the lifts and hopped into the first one available, pressing the level for the Minister's office.

The Minister of Magic sat behind his desk, and Hermione smiled warmly at him as she observed him scrawling on a note before handing it to an owl. "Ah! Hermione, take a seat," Kingsley said cheerfully.

"How have you been?"

"Fine thank you, Minister," She replied.

"Call me Kingsley, I can't adjust to people calling me 'minister', it makes me think of Cornelius Fudge," He said with a shrug. "What can I do for you, anyway?" Kingsley asked.

"I found a previously unrecorded room in the Department of Mysteries," Hermione said and pointed to its location on the map she had attached to her clipboard.

Kingsley sat and considered it for a short time. "What does it contain?" He asked, running a hand over his shaved head.

"Boxes of books, manuscripts, and scrolls. I haven't looked closely enough at them to ascertain their age or usefulness but they look old," Hermione said, anxiously waiting to hear Kingsley's reaction.

"Well done on the find, Hermione. I'll send some of the guys from magical artefacts down to remove them to a safe place immediately. I imagine that you want to get started on examining them as soon as possible," Kingsley said with a grin. "They should be available for you to look over by Monday – shall I record you as having a 'project in progress'?"

"Yes please!" Hermione replied, thrilled that she was the one allocated to studying her find.

Two hours later and Hermione stood watching as three wizards checked the documents for hexes and curses and moved them to the storage room next to her office. As tempting as it was to stay and start looking over them now, she knew that if she didn't leave for home now she would be here all night.

Hermione smiled to herself, excited and satisfied after her discovery. Questions whirled through her mind. She really did work in a department of mysteries.

Making her way to the departmental fireplace, Hermione threw in some floo powder and announced "Number twelve Grimmauld Place!" With a whoosh and a vaguely nauseating spinning sensation, Hermione arrived back at her home.

She tripped out of the fireplace and looked around. "Remus?" She called out. "Are you home?"

"Hermione?" Came Remus' voice. "Quick! I need your help!"

Hermione's heart started thumping with adrenaline at the panic in his voice. She broke into a run, taking the stairs two at a time as she raced to Remus' aid.


	2. Eihwaz

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**A/N**: Oooh two chapters in one day! Hopefully, this chapter will have set the story up; I will try and get a third up by the end of the week.

Leave a review and let me know what you think so far :)

* * *

Chapter 2: Eihwaz

* * *

_She tripped out of the fireplace and looked around. "Remus?" She called out. "Are you home?" _

"_Hermione?" Came Remus' voice. "Quick! I need your help!" _

_Hermione's heart started thumping with adrenaline at the panic in his voice. She broke into a run, taking the stairs two at a time as she raced to Remus' aid. _

At the top of the stairs Hermione followed the sound of Remus' voice to Teddy's bedroom. Taking out her wand, she braced herself for whatever she would find on the other side of the door. Suddenly, she flung open the door and stepped into the room.

"What on earth...?" She asked, taking in the strange scene before her. Remus was suspended in the air, as though some invisible force were holding him by his ankle. The blood had all rushed to his face so he resembled a plum more than a wizard. Teddy sat on the floor happily, clapping his hands and changing his hair to match his father's puce complexion.

"Help!" Remus choked out, looking at Hermione with doleful amber eyes.

Hermione waved her wand and Remus collapsed unceremoniously onto the floor. She helped him into a chair and watched as he started to return to a more normal colour. "Daddy fly!" Teddy exclaimed happily and tottered over to wrap his pudgy toddler arms around Hermione's leg.

Hermione lifted Teddy up into her arms, making him giggle when she blew a raspberry on his cheek. "Who's a clever little boy?" She chuckled and ruffled the toddler's purple hair.

"Don't encourage him!" Remus exclaimed, running a hand through his sandy hair peppered with grey.

"Well, it was quite impressive magic for a three year old," Hermione said with a grin.

"Magic," Agreed Teddy before he put his thumb in his mouth and snuggled into Hermione's shoulder.

"All I did was wake him up from his afternoon nap," Remus said, shaking his head.

"I guess he didn't appreciate it then! Come on, I'll make you a coffee," Hermione said and began to make her way down to the kitchen.

"Thanks, just give me a minute," Remus replied.

Teddy was making short work of a chocolate biscuit and Hermione sipping at her coffee when Remus finally appeared. "You look better," Hermione commented mildly. "How long had you been hanging there?"

Remus groaned. "Ten minutes by the time you got there. I expected his magic to start showing soon but don't toddlers usually just summon their cuddly toy or bounce when they fall over?"

Hermione smiled at the exasperation on his face. "It depends on how powerful a wizard they are, I suppose. With you and Tonks for parents it's not a surprise he's showing such potential," she said, before taking another sip of coffee.

"I guess that was Dora's enthusiasm for magic showing in him," Remus said fondly. "I believe that she caused Andromeda's bowl of washing up to fill the kitchen with bubbles when she was just a little older than him."

"I can see that happening!" Hermione laughed.

"Dora would have loved to have seen what he did today," Remus said sadly, looking at Teddy smear chocolate-y fingers all over his face.

Hermione reached over and patted Remus on the shoulder in consolation. At the final battle at Hogwarts they had initially put Tonks and Remus together with the dead in the Great Hall but it had soon become apparent that Remus' lycanthropy allowed his body to deal with the curse thrown at him in ways others couldn't. They'd patched him up, relieved that Teddy was not an orphan, but it wasn't until they'd already buried Tonks a month later that Remus had woken up. Naturally, he had been distraught.

When Harry offered her Grimmauld Place as a home, she asked if Remus and Teddy could move in too. Remus could use an extra pair of hands and she liked the company. Harry had said that he didn't mind who lived there, as long as they treated the house with respect. And so, before they had even unpacked their things Remus and Hermione had put pictures of the Order (past and present) in the hallway and framed Sirius' declaration of innocence and posthumous Order of Merlin, first class. They'd done it to honour the memories of friends but mostly for Harry. Although, Harry did not visit often because of the memories of Sirius it stirred up for him.

"What are you thinking?" Remus asked as he cleaned chocolate off Teddy's face.

"About Harry," She replied, draining the last of her coffee.

"Worried about him?" Remus said, putting Teddy back on the floor.

"He took the break up from Ginny so hard," Hermione said with a sigh. "I know it was mutual but still...and he's found it so hard to adjust after everything that's happened."

"He'll be okay, Hermione," Remus said with a reassuring pat on her hand. "You've got work to throw yourself into, Ron has his..." Remus trailed off.

"Fan girls?" Hermione suggested with a wry smile.

"I suppose that's the politest thing to call them," Remus said with a smile. "My point being that Harry isn't able to let go in the same way you two are, I think he feels responsible in some way for the people who died."

"That's bullsh –" Hermione glanced at Teddy. "Rubbish. That's rubbish, he knows it's not his fault and he has his quidditch too!"

"And I'm sure that while he's on a broomstick he's happy. But one of the perks, in this case downside, is that professional quidditch player gets paid a lot of money for not a lot of hours," Remus said.

"I never thought of that," Hermione admitted. "I just wish he wouldn't cut himself off from everyone."

"I understand how he feels," Remus said. "After the first war it took me a long time to feel like I could function in normal society again. You have to remember that where you lost friends Harry lost Dumbledore _and _Sirius, the only two father figures he had."

Hermione smiled. "What would I do without my trusty werewolf friend to keep my head screwed on?" she sighed.

"Leave your head at work and send your body home to sleep probably," Remus laughed, his eyes shining with amusement. "Thanks for the coffee, Hermione," He said, standing up. "I'm going to take Teddy to the park, I'll make dinner when I get back."

"You're a star!" Hermione called after him and Teddy.

She was just settling down in a comfy chair in the Black family library when an owl pecked at the window. Hermione got up and let the wind-ruffled owl into the warm, took the large envelope, and fed the brown feathered creature an owl-treat from the pot on the letter desk. Hermione looked at the writing and recognised it immediately as Kingsley's handwriting before tearing open the flap of the envelope to read.

_Hermione,_

_I am writing about your new project. I know we discussed allowing you to be the first to sort through the boxes from the room you discovered today but Head Auror Robards insisted upon sorting 'identifiable' documents into piles for their relevant departments. Don't worry, there is still a lot of material for you to look through from Monday but I thought I'd give you a heads up. _

_Apologetically,_

_Kingsley Shacklebolt. _

_P.s. In an attempt to placate you (because I value my life) I have enclosed one of the manuscripts more easily transportable, so that you can examine it over the weekend! _

Hermione let the owl back out with a quick thank you note and an assurance that she would not murder Kingsley but head straight for Robards on Monday. Irritated but also grateful that Kingsley sent her something to get started on over the weekend; Hermione pulled the old pages from the envelope.

The manuscript was old and only a few pages long but it was bound together to make a small book. The ink was faded to an almost purplish colour and the script appeared to be runic. Hermione peered closer at the symbols scrawled across the pages and felt the familiar flutter in her stomach that only academic curiosity could create.

She had never seen a runic language like this before and although the runes were almost all ones she recognised the translation would be incredibly difficult if she couldn't decipher the subject matter first. She scanned her eyes down the first page, taking in all the little symbols before something strange but thrilling caught her eye.

Towards the middle of the page was a rune displayed in a way that Hermione had never encountered. It was a simply drawn archway with nothing else except one recognisable rune placed in middle. The angular rune _Eihwaz _sent Hermione's mind reeling. It was the rune for the Beyond, the gate to the underworld.

She looked at the rune sat inside the archway and realised that she could very well be holding the secrets of the Veil.


	3. Jumping At Shadows

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing! Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling.

* * *

Chapter 3: Jumping At Shadows

* * *

Hermione jumped awake and looked around sleepily. For a moment she was disorientated and then she realised she must have fallen asleep in the library. She peeled a piece of paper off her face and rubbed her eyes.

The strange rune on the manuscript had led her to start attempting a translation immediately. She had quickly discovered that the text was written in two parts, the first was a basic replacement of English letters for runic letters. She knew it would be slow work to translate it accurately but it wouldn't be too hard. However, the second part seemed to combine both alphabetic runes and symbolic runes. As frustrating as it was not to understand it, Hermione knew that the only way she stood a chance of unravelling the documents was to translate the first half and hope that it gave her a clue about the more complex second part.

With a yawn she stood up and stretched her stiff joints before wandering out of the library. The house was quiet and she tried to muffle her footsteps as she crept down the gloomy corridor, so she didn't wake up Teddy. Portraits peered down at her and one particularly leery painting winked at her. With a hand on the banister she descended the stairs and headed towards the kitchen.

The most wonderful smell of fresh coffee greeted her as she opened the kitchen door. Remus was in the kitchen pressing down the plunger on a cafetiere and mixing something in a jug. "Morning!" He said as Hermione slipped into one of the kitchen chairs and slumped on the table. "Coffee?" He asked.

"Merlin, yes!" Hermione replied.

Remus poured her a steaming mug of strong black coffee and placed it in front of her. Hermione hummed in appreciation as she sipped the coffee and enjoyed the scalding bitterness as it slid down her throat. "You have no idea how much I needed this," Hermione said gesturing towards the mug.

"I can imagine," Remus replied with a grin as he leant against the counter and sipped his own coffee.

"I'm sorry I missed dinner last night," Hermione said with a rueful smile.

"It's alright, Hermione. When I saw you scribbling so hard it looked like you were about to go through the desk, I figured I'd leave you to it. Teddy would probably be displeased if he discovered that his Aunt 'Mione had blasted his father into the stratosphere for disturbing her!" Remus laughed and went back to stirring the mixture in the jug.

Hermione stuck her tongue out at him. "Why does everybody seem to think I have the temper of a manticore with toothache?" She huffed and drained her coffee.

"Well," Remus said as he refilled her mug. "People think that because you _do_ have the temper of a manticore with toothache," he said laughing and dodging away from Hermione's playful swat. "Anyway, who told you that you have a bad temper?"

"What other than you, Ron and Harry?" Hermione said snippily. "Kingsley. He told me that Robards had taken control of the allocation of the documents I found. And so Kingsley sent me that manuscript I was working on last night in an attempt to stop me from murdering him on Monday."

Remus laughed and Hermione smiled and threw a tea towel at him. "Be nice to the cook!" Remus exclaimed as he got a frying pan out of the cupboard.

"What are you making?" Hermione asked; her attempt at a casual question ruined by a thunderous stomach rumble.

"Hungry?" Remus asked with a raised eyebrow. "I'm making pancakes for breakfast and lucky for you I made plenty of batter so the beast in your stomach can stop growling at me."

"Ah, Remus! Thanks so much! I don't know what I'd do if I had to cook myself, the last time I tried to make pancakes they ended up resembling scrambled eggs," Hermione said, grimacing at the memory.

"Not to worry," Remus said as he poured some of the batter into the frying pan. "Would you wake Teddy up for me?" He asked.

"Of course!" Hermione replied happily.

Hermione snuck into Teddy's bedroom and opened the curtains to let sunlight in. She looked around and remembered when the room had been dingy and neglected. In fact, Hermione distinctly recalled a particularly nasty infestation of doxys that Mrs Weasley had discovered in this room. Looking at the robins-egg blue walls with broomsticks and hippogriffs chasing each other across the wallpaper, you wouldn't know that only five years ago it looked like a bomb had hit it.

Teddy was cocooned in his duvet, pressed up against the padded bed-guard. His hair had reverted to its natural brown, a lovely caramel colour that looked like a mix of Tonks and Remus' hair colours. Teddy's little nose was wrinkled as he dreamed and his thumb was jammed in his mouth. Hermione stood and listened to the soft sleeping sighs and breathing that seemed exclusive toddlers. Finally the smell of pancakes from the kitchen forced her to wake Teddy up.

"Teddy," She called softly as she stroked his hair. The little boy's face scrunched up in unhappiness at being woken up but immediately transformed into a wide smile when he saw Hermione. "Aunt Mione!" He cried happily and let her scoop him up into her arms.

"It's _Her_-Mione, Teddy," Hermione corrected softly. She did hate people shortening her name to 'Mione. It made her cringe every time Ron did it but that was probably because it was usually coupled with him cramming his face with food. But she had to admit that she found it very cute when Teddy called her that.

Teddy made himself a moustache out of one of Hermione's stray curls. "Very nice," She said with a laugh. As they were entering the kitchen Teddy pushed some of her hair away from her face.

"Why there dirty?" He asked and poked her cheek.

"Huh?" Hermione replied.

Before she could work out what Teddy had said, she realised there was another person in the room. "Harry!" She exclaimed happily.

"Uncle Harry!" Teddy shouted and squirmed down from Hermione's arms to bowl into Harry's legs. Harry hoisted the little boy up and ruffled his hair.

"You're getting heavy!" Harry said and pushed his glasses up his nose. Teddy's hair turned black to match Harry's. "How are you Hermione?" Harry asked, sitting down on a chair with Teddy in his lap.

"I'm great thanks, I just got started on a new project," She replied.

"Pancakes!" Remus said and put a large platter of pancakes in the middle of the table with four plates.

"Mmm!" Teddy said looking at the mound of food.

"I can tell you started on a new project," Harry said conversationally as he put some pancakes on his plate and deposited Teddy on a chair.

"How?" Hermione asked as she put some syrup on her breakfast.

"You've got writing on your face," Harry said.

"What?" Hermione touched her face. "Oh no! I fell asleep on my notes, the ink can't have been dry!"

Remus snorted as he cut Teddy's breakfast into manageable pieces.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione demanded, looking at Remus.

"I thought it would be impolite," He replied mildly and winked at Harry.

"So how are you?" Hermione asked Harry.

"I'm pretty good. I've been doing a lot of training with the England team in preparation for the European Quidditch Cup," Harry replied.

"Is it going well?" Remus asked.

"Well, yes – but there's something bothering me that you both need to hear. Maybe we can talk after breakfast?" He suggested with a glance at Teddy.

"Of course," Remus said. "When we're done we can move through into the drawing room, Teddy will be happy to do a puzzle for a bit."

Breakfast went without incident apart from when Teddy threw a pancake at Remus and was subsequently told off and put on the bottom step of the stairs to think about table manners. Soon enough, all four of them were in the drawing room. Teddy was happily singing to himself and putting a puzzle together whilst Remus, Harry, and Hermione sat in chairs with coffees to talk.

"So what did you want to talk about Harry?" Remus asked.

Harry shifted in his seat and ran a hand through his hair. "I know you might think I'm being paranoid or something but just hear me out, okay?"

Hermione and Remus nodded.

"I keep an eye on the news and I've noticed that recently there have been way more disappearances and violent crime. I also overheard two cleaners in the quidditch changing rooms talking about how one of them knew a group of witches and wizards who 'looked out for pureblood interests' and they said something about continuing someone's work." Harry readjusted his glasses and looked at Remus and Hermione for their reactions.

"Harry..." Hermione started, a concerned frown marring her face.

"No, Hermione listen to me! Who do we know who had a group that wanted a pureblood society?"

"You can't seriously be suggesting that Voldemort is back!" Hermione said in exasperation.

"I don't know...I've just got a bad feeling," Harry said with a shrug.

Hermione glanced at Remus who was looking pensively into his coffee. "You've not said anything. What do you think Remus?" Hermione asked.

"I think that Harry could have a point," Remus said.

"What?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows rising with surprise.

"I've heard rumblings about the ministry being too muggle-loving and the need for a more traditional administration," Remus said.

"So you believe me?" Harry asked, looking slightly relieved.

"I don't think Voldemort is back but it wouldn't surprise me if some of his death eaters were trying to continue his work. Maybe now he's gone, one of his minions wants a shot at becoming the new leader."

"But I thought they were all rounded up and sent to Azkaban!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Not at all," Remus said. "The aurors could only arrest the ones that they knew about. By the end of the war so many witches and wizards had gone over to Voldemort's side that it's difficult to distinguish where peoples loyalties lie."

Harry nodded and then narrowed his eyes. "I bet the Malfoys are involved," He said.

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Remus gently chided.

"I admit that Remus has a point but Harry, do you really need to be worrying about all this now? I mean Voldemort's dead and you did your job. You don't have to worry about this sort of thing anymore," Hermione said.

"I do, Hermione. Because I can't ever let something like the war happen again," Harry replied stiffly. "Now unless you want to tell me I'm jumping at shadows in any other ways, I think it's time that I left," he said as he stood up and went to say goodbye to Teddy.

Remus patted Hermione's shoulder as he stood to see Harry out. Hermione sat chewing her lip in thought for a long time after the door closed.

Remus came to check on her and ask if she was okay and if she wanted to go to Diagon Alley with him and Teddy. She had politely declined, saying that she had to get on with work. It wasn't a lie; she did have a translation to do.

The last thing she wanted was for Harry to drive himself mad imagining death eater plots. She felt like this research could make it better. If it really was about the Veil then maybe there was a way to bring Sirius back. And if Sirius was back then maybe Harry would find it easier to move on.

Hermione glanced over her notes and started working.

* * *

**A/N**: Thanks for reading! I've loved all the support I've had so far :)

This was a bit of a filler chapter but I needed to get Harry in because I think he plays a large part in her motivations for the research into the Veil. I also felt that I should expand upon Hermione's relationships with Teddy and Remus before I get into the first big plot point.

You probably won't be seeing Sirius for the next chapter or two but I promise that he'll turn up eventually :p Like I said, I'm aiming for this to be a long fic, so I don't want to rush things too quickly at the beginning!

Do review - I love having feedback and constructive criticism.

-Scribbles-


	4. Mors Alit

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**A/N: **Sorry about the long wait, guys! I've just been recovering after some surgery on a broken leg. Anyway, here is chapter 4, I hope you all enjoy it!

* * *

Chapter 4: Mors Alit

* * *

Monday morning had started quite well for Hermione. She'd finished her preliminary translation of the manuscript's first part; she intended to transcribe and study it as soon as she reached her office. However, within a few minutes of arriving she discovered that the department was in chaos. Unspeakables of all different specialities rushed past her and paper messages flew over her head as they raced for their recipients.

Clutching her precious work to her chest, Hermione dodged around a blustering unspeakable with a bushy beard only to crash into a pair of aurors who gave her a dirty look. "Sorry," she muttered and pressed on towards Robards' office. A couple of times she tried to ask different harassed-looking employees what was going on but the most she received was a rather testy "very busy" from the normally calm secretary Alberta Marat.

Narrowly avoiding a collision with a surprisingly speedy goblin, Hermione finally arrived outside Robards' office. She knocked on the door and was answered with an indistinguishable reply from the ex-auror. Hermione popped her head around the door and found the director of the department of mysteries massaging his greying temples.

"Granger, take a seat," Robards said curtly, unconsciously rubbing the scar that ran from his eye to the corner of his mouth. Gawain Robards had been an auror of some note before becoming the head auror after Mad Eye Moody's death. However, the need for increased security in the department of mysteries had led to his reassignment as the department's director. Hermione had never dared ask him but she had the distinct impression that Robards had not elected for his departmental transfer.

Hermione slipped into an uncomfortable wooden chair on the opposite side of the desk to the brown haired director. "I suppose you've heard?" He asked as he rifled in a desk draw for something.

"Heard what, sir?" Hermione replied with a frown.

"About this fucking mess, Granger," he growled as he sat back up with a bottle of firewhiskey and a glass. He poured himself a generous measure and looked at Hermione pointedly. "Well, do you want one?" Robards asked.

"Uh...no thank you sir," she replied, slightly perturbed by the director's strange behaviour.

Hermione's teeth worried at her lower lip as she waited for Robards to knock his drink back and get on with his explanation. Her breakfast churned in her stomach in response to the palpable tension and she focused upon a quidditch player scoring a goal on the Wimbourne Wasps themed pen holder on the desk.

Robards massaged his temples again. "We've had a break in," he said with a resigned sigh.

"A break-in?" Hermione all but shrieked.

"Last night," Robards confirmed.

"B-but all the extra security!" Hermione said as Harry's words on Saturday swam around her mind. _Someone carrying on _his _work_... Suddenly she felt incredibly nauseated.

"Yes, the extra security is dead," Robards said. "I can tell you, it was a nightmare to dispose of the body," he sighed.

"Are you saying someone broke into the department of mysteries, got past the usual wards, and then proceeded to kill the enormous dragon sitting in their way?"

"That is exactly what I am saying Granger," Robards said through gritted teeth.

Hermione sat and processed the information for a moment. At the beginning of the year the department of mysteries had procured a Hebridean Black dragon for security purpose. Affectionately named Hilda, she resided in a nice spacious room that all intruders would be transported to after they forced the preliminary wards around the entrance chamber. The idea that someone would be able to get past a giant fire-breathing monster and _then_ find their way through the maze of doors only an unspeakable could navigate was, quite frankly, unnerving.

"Was anything taken?" Hermione asked.

"Not exactly," Robards said with a sigh as he poured another whiskey. He cleared his throat. "The intruder left us a little present."

"A present," Hermione said arching an eyebrow.

"Yes, they eviscerated Griffiths and used his entrails and blood to leave a message," Robards said with a slightly green tinge to his face.

"What did the message say?" Hermione asked shakily.

"I think you had better see this for yourself, Granger."

Theophilius Griffiths looked more expressive in death than he had in life. Hermione had only ever seen Griffiths twitch his lips in a weak attempt at a smile, yet here he was laying spread eagled with a look of pure terror transforming his usually neutral face. His watery rodent-like eyes were wide and glazed as they bulged from their sockets, staring into some endless blank void. Griffiths' mouth was open and contorted into a Munch-esque scream with his tongue lolling uselessly to one side.

Hermione's stomach turned as her eyes fell upon the ruthless incision that exposed Griffiths' abdominal cavity. His intestines hung over his body and lay tangled on the Veil's stone dais. At his feet lay two Latin words painted in thick, dark blood:

_MORS ALIT_

"Merlin's beard," Hermione muttered as she mentally translated the words.

"I presume you can read that," Robards said grimly.

"It says 'death nourishes' or 'feeds'," Hermione replied.

"Indeed. It seems someone wanted to send us a message that the death eaters are still active and still pose a threat," Robards said. "Come on back to the office, I'm starting to feel nauseous."

As they walked back to the office in silence Hermione let the implications of Griffiths' murder sink in. Not only were the death eaters strong enough to make a bold move by breaking in and killing an unspeakable, they seemed to have chosen the death chamber deliberately. Were they simply emphasising the role of death in their agenda and organisation? Or were they hoping to lure Harry by provoking memories of Sirius' fall through the Veil and the lives given up for Harry's cause?

Back in the office, Hermione sank into a chair. "Sir, I'm don't think the choice of room was coincidental," Hermione said.

"I agree, Granger," Robards replied, massaging the bridge of his nose.

"What I was coming to talk to you about today may be relevant to this investigation," Hermione said, picking at the edge of a nail.

"How so?"

"I have been translating one of the documents I found last week and as a result there is no doubt in my mind that we are in possession of a manuscript that will unlock the secrets of the Veil," Hermione explained.

"The Veil," Robards reiterated. Hermione could almost hear the cogs working in his head.

"I think the death eaters may want these secrets and intend to use them. As a result, I think that it is paramount that I find out everything I can from this manuscript as soon as possible. Not only might this enable us to destroy the Veil before the death eaters can discover its secrets but it could allow us to rescue the people who have fallen through!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Hmm...there were signs that someone had tried to force entry into the room where we stored all your finds," pondered Robards. "But I'm having difficulty believing your theory, it seems slightly tenuous," Robards finally said.

"Sir, please listen! This is a fantastic opportunity regardless of death eater plots anyway. I only ask that you give me a few weeks to work on this," Hermione pleaded.

"Fine," Robards sighed. "I'm giving you two weeks to work on it with suspension of normal duties."

Hermione smiled appreciatively.

"However," Robards added after a moment. "You will be required to take your turn at guard duty, we're increasing security again. Merlin, where am I going to get another dragon from?" Robards groaned. "Leave me Granger, go and get on with your project but woe-betide-you if there are no results from this."

Hermione exited the office with a sensation of shellshock. She was thrilled to have a chance to investigate the Veil properly. And yet, she could not escape from the looming shadow cast by the day's events.

Flinging some floo powder into the fireplace, Hermione stepped into the green flames and clearly spoke the address for Harry's flat.

* * *

**A/N**: I hope you liked this chapter, why not drop me a review to let me know what you think? ;)


	5. A Transcendental Interlude

**A/N: **A very short chapter - sorry! But I'm aiming to upload chapter 6 later today or tomorrow. Hope you enjoy and please review :)

* * *

Chapter 5: A Transcendental Interlude

* * *

How does one describe the sound of nothingness? Is it the unspoken word on a friend's lips or perhaps the resonance of a ripple on a still water?

The space (it could not be called a room) was filled with an insubstantial miasma that seemed to permeate everything. Dark corners contained strange shapes, slowly becoming one with the mist. That was the fate of all things there: to evaporate into the great sea of souls.

But the grey, huddled shape in the corner would not. No it wouldn't. Still clinging to the form of a man, a piece of the shade remembered a life before. It thinks he was a man. Yes, definitely a man. He has been trying to keep that memory firmly in his mind; everything else had faded into indistinct flashes of red, green eyes, scars, howling, screaming, laughing, feathers, and prison bars.

He wasn't sure how much longer he could last before the inevitable transubstantiation occurred, before he faded away forever.

_No, no, no, no!_ He tried to scream but there was no noise, only a wisp appearing briefly before it was consumed by the mist.

"_Sirius..."_

His grey eyes flew open at the strange whisper from another plane of existence.


	6. Purgatory

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing.

**A/N: **I am so, so sorry that this has taken so long to get online! I have no excuse except that writing just got pushed to the side by life. Anyway, I'm back on form and will be posting far more regularly now :)

* * *

Chapter 7: Purgatory

* * *

Hermione entered the Death Chamber and was relieved to find that Griffiths' body had been removed, even if the bloody lettering was still scrawled over the dais. Harry touched her shoulder and urged her further into the room.

"Thank you for bringing me down here Hermione," He said as they tentatively made their way over to the Veil.

"Yes, well, it's a bloody good thing you're Harry Potter – the one and only – otherwise Robards would have skinned me alive for bringing someone into the Department," Hermione replied.

"We both know that as much as Robards would like to believe he is in charge, Kingsley is the one making the decisions," Harry said reassuringly.

"I don't see why you had to come and see it for yourself," Hermione muttered. She had absolutely no desire to be back in the Death Chamber with or without eviscerated colleagues.

"I felt like I needed to," Harry replied as he looked around the chamber. "If someone is trying to revive the death eaters then it feels like unfinished business," he said with a shrug.

"Harry, this isn't your responsibility anymore. No one expects you to..." Hermione trailed off as she noticed Harry staring at the Veil.

The archway glimmered and shifted and the longer Hermione stared at it, the more aware she became of a sound much like the rustling of leaves. "I can hear them," she marvelled, glancing at Harry.

"They sound fainter than before," Harry replied as he stepped towards the Veil.

"It has been years since..."

"Since we were here last. Since Sirius fell through," Harry finished for her with a stony face.

"This was a mistake," Hermione murmured as she reached out to prevent Harry from taking a step closer to the archway.

"Do you think his voice is there somewhere?" Harry asked, tilting his head and listening to the flurry of voices more carefully.

"I don't know," Hermione said uncomfortably.

"If we can hear them, do you think they can hear us?" Harry said in a voice choked with emotion. "Sirius?" He called questioningly.

Harry and Hermione both jumped and stumbled away from the Veil as a voice spoke up.

"Granger, shouldn't you be working on your new project?"

Hermione tried to calm the thudding in her chest as she turned to reply to Robards. "Yes, well, I was showing Harry..." She trailed off.

"I just wanted to have a look at the place myself, Robards," Harry interjected, recovering from the shock faster than Hermione.

"You are neither an auror or unspeakable, Mr Potter," Robards replied through gritted teeth.

"You allowed us in not half an hour ago, what has changed?" Harry responded, unfazed by the ex-auror's hostile stance.

"Simply that I feel my employee should be working rather than staring vacantly at an enchanted doorway – "

"It's a little more complicated than that, sir!" Hermione interrupted in frustration.

"And that you have had sufficient time to read a couple of words, Mr Potter," Robards continued paying Hermione no mind.

"Fine," Harry said. "Thank you for allowing me to view the crime scene, director," Harry said stiffly before he began walking away with Hermione in tow.

"And Granger, remember that you're in hot water if your research turns up nothing and I find out you've been pissing about with celebrities all week!" Robards called after them.

As Harry and Hermione reached a fireplace, Harry spoke in a low voice. "I don't like him, he's very suspicious."

"Oh for goodness sakes Harry, he's an unpleasant man but I hardly think the director of the department of mysteries and former head of aurors is disembowelling employees and playing dress-up with a group of pureblood fanatics in his spare time," Hermione scoffed.

"Well, just keep an eye on him," Harry muttered. "Anyway what's this research he was talking about, it sounds important?"

"Uh..." Hermione mentally cursed Robards. The last thing she wanted to do was get Harry's hopes up about her work with the Veil. "It's about arithmancy," Hermione said weakly.

"Ugh, spare me," Harry replied with a grin. "I'll see you around Hermione, I've got to dash to this practice."

Hermione gave Harry a brief hug and watched as he disappeared into the emerald flames. She supposed that she should get back to her work, herself. Desperate to be away from the mood that hung over the department, she threw some powder into the flames and stepped in.

o0o

Curled in a large armchair with a glass of wine, Hermione began to read through her transcription of the Veil manuscript.

_Here begins a treatise on the plane of spirits and its connection to our own reality..._

Hermione read until her eyes watered with concentration, memorising the words and forming a plan. The text seemed to imply that the carving around the outside of the Veil would activate when presented with the correct ritual, allowing one to pass in and out of the Veil unharmed. Frustratingly, the sparse instructions gleaned from the manuscript left a lot to conjecture.

Pulling a piece of paper onto her lap, Hermione began to trace out the basic set up for a ritualised runic spell, with concentric circles and runes scribbled in relevant places. If she could set this up in the death chamber and manage to hold the Veil open then there was a good chance she could successfully venture into the Veil.

She squirmed in her armchair. Of course, there was a very high chance that she would venture into the Veil and not come back.

With a sigh, Hermione set her work to the side and rubbed her forehead. Frustration and worry cut through her contemplation and sent thoughts of runes and spells scattering away. Hermione stood up irately and stretched, taking a short walk around the library to clear her mind of anxious energy.

She was still reeling from the break-in at the Department and Griffiths' murder. Coupled with Harry's concerns the message left scrawled in blood on the Veil's dais took on an even more troubling level of meaning. _Death nourishes_...

Hermione worried about Harry as she paced around the library. The guilt that had riddled him in the years following the war seemed to be manifesting itself in his almost obsessive concern about a Death Eater revival. It was as though he felt that solving this would somehow purge him of the mistakes he thought he'd made during the war. Putting aside her academic interest in uncovering the secrets of the Veil, Hermione was left with a burning desire to bring back Sirius for Harry. Perhaps Harry would feel less obligated to get involved if his greatest regret was resolved.

Sitting back down in the armchair, Hermione pinched her nose and tried to focus herself on her work. There was so much supposition in formulating a ritual that could open the Veil, but what did she really have to go on? Hermione pulled her transcript onto her lap and started scanning through the text again.

'_The Veil acts as a doorway to the realm of spirits...'_ Well, that wasn't particularly helpful but the confirmation of the fact ensured that she was on the right tracks. '..._the soul of one who has not passed on occupies a purgatorial space; the Veil allows the living to interact with said soul.' _Interesting, Hermione thought as she reread the line again. As no one had returned from the Veil in living memory the assertion that there was a metaphysical space in which souls were trapped unable to move on, was a crucial part in her understanding of how to form the spell to activate the Veil.

If there was a space of some variety behind the Veil, perhaps on another plane of reality but not fully integrated with an afterlife, then it significantly increased her chances of being able to navigate her way back again. Stepping into a place of hypothetical afterlife would be a like entering a sealed room through a window that locked from the outside, all it would take was one gust of wind and she could find herself trapped. Of course, one could potentially escape but not without serious injury. If the place beyond the Veil was less final and intended as a stop gap between the world of the living and dead, then it was far less likely to be as closed and dangerous.

Hope sparked in Hermione's chest for the first time since she had discovered the documents. What she would be attempting would be dangerous, recklessly so, but her reading bolstered her confidence.

However, there was a problem. Hermione sighed and chewed her lip. The Veil had been intended to allow people back out again, meaning that somewhere in the course of its existence it had malfunctioned. Unless she could find the flaw and secure it, Hermione would be unable to enter the realm beyond and return again.

"What you reading?"

Hermione startled at the sound of Remus' voice and hastily stuffed the pages between her leg and the armrest. She turned around and smiled tiredly at Remus who stood in the doorway. "You scared me!" She exclaimed.

"Sorry," he replied ruefully and came to perch on the seat opposite.

"It's alright, I was just working on some paperwork for this research," Hermione replied with a smile.

"Top up?" Remus asked nodding at her empty glass and holding up a bottle of wine.

"Oh, please," Hermione replied eagerly and held her glass out.

"So," Remus said as he filled two glasses. "I heard that you took Harry to the Department today."

"How do you always know these things?" Hermione asked looking baffled as he handed her the glass.

"I have my sources," he replied with a grin.

"Kingsley," she said with a roll of her eyes. "That man gossips worse than Molly Weasley after a few firewhiskeys!"

"How did Harry seem?" Remus asked as he took a sip of wine.

"To be honest, I regret agreeing to let him see the place," Hermione said miserably and took a large mouthful of wine. "I thought that maybe he would let it drop when he saw it was being treated seriously but all it seems to have done is stir-up old wounds and make him even more determined to investigate these rumours about Death Eaters."

"Hmm," Remus replied thoughtfully.

"Remus?" Hermione asked in a small voice tinged with fear. "You don't think he's going to do anything stupid do you?"

"I don't know, Hermione," Remus said with a sigh. "Harry is an adult now and I can't pull rank on him. I think that we just need to be there for him. Merlin knows that I can empathise, the sense of helplessness and guilt after Sirius escaped from Azkaban – not knowing he was innocent – it started driving me mad." He shook his head sadly.

"Perhaps you should talk to him?" Hermione suggested.

"You know him," Remus said wryly. "He'd rebuff me and say that everything was fine, that he just wanted to know that someone was investigating it, for peace of mind."

"You're right," Hermione admitted as she stifled a yawn.

Hermione took another long sip from her glass and smiled wearily at Remus.

"Why don't you go get some sleep?" Remus suggested. "Things might seem less daunting in the morning. Not to mention it might be best if you get an early night, I don't think you'll get a lie-in when I'm trying to persuade Teddy to leave the house for his appointment with the mediwitch."

"Oh dear," Hermione said with a smile. "I'd best be off to bed then." She downed the glass of wine, gathered her papers and stood up. "Thanks for the wine and the chat Remus," She said with a smile.

"No problem, try not to let things get you down too much," He replied as he casually scanned his eyes across the bookshelf.

In her room, Hermione curled into the duvet and tried to clear her mind of the day. She hadn't realised how exhausted she was and promptly fell into a deep and mercifully dreamless sleep.

* * *

**A/N: **Please review! :D


	7. The Best Laid Plans

**Disclaimer: **I still own nothing, Harry Potter still belongs to JKR.

**A/N**: Hi guys! I've updated quickly to make up for such a long absence and the rather lackluster chapter 6 but I promise that the plot really gets underway from here on in. I hope you enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 7: The Best Laid Plans…

* * *

Hermione sat cross-legged on the hard stone platform with her notes spread out in front of her. Sitting this close to the Veil she could hear indistinguishable voices whispering like the rustling of dead leaves floating out of the curtain-like miasma.

The runes magically inscribed into the Veil's stony arch were faded and worn but she had still managed to identify the majority of them. Each rune brought her closer to a solution and a fluttering of excitement and impatience tickled at her insides. She could feel how she teetered on the edge of a breakthrough, unable to quite grasp an elusive resolution.

With a frustrated huff of breath Hermione picked up her mug and sipped at the freshly refilled coffee. Her head still pounded after waking up to Teddy's wailing as Remus dragged him out of Grimmauld Place that morning. Steeling herself against the niggling headache, she let the caffeine work its magic on her concentration and turned back to her work.

Hermione had deduced that the runes had to be maintained regularly to keep their form in the stone and it was apparent that this had not happened for some time. There were layers of ancient wandwork covering the archway.

Hermione reached out to touch the groove of a faint rune tentatively. The shape of a backwards seven was etched deeply into the stone, gleaming with centuries of spells. As her finger brushed over end of the rune she noticed another shallower line that turned the rune into a backwards 'Z'. She frowned at the discrepancy in depth and cast a trace spell on the marking. The deeply engraved part of the rune had thick layers of charm residue unlike the lower line, which had only two.

Before she could properly examine her results a paper airplane flew into the side of her head and tangled in her messy bun. With a groan of irritation as her spell faded she plucked the parchment from her hair and opened it up.

_Miss Granger, _

_You are required to attend a crisis meeting in the Minister of Magic's private conference room immediately. _

_Yours sincerely, _

_Grizel Clutterbuck_

_Senior Undersecretary to Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt. _

Hermione furrowed her brow at the note and gathered up her papers before leaving the Death Chamber. As she strode through the Department's many corridors and up to the lift that would take her to the meeting, she considered the summons.

The only reason for a crisis meeting would be related to Griffiths' murder but the suddenness of the summons made her stomach lurch. If Kingsley had wanted to discuss the circumstances around the break-in and murder then he would have arranged the meeting yesterday. Hermione paused and readjusted her notes to press the button on the lift.

The only thing that would make Kingsley call an emergency meeting would be if new and disturbing evidence had been uncovered. Hermione stepped into the lift with a sense of foreboding and clutched onto the handrail as she hurtled up to the Minister's level.

Hermione arrived in front of the meeting room door and knocked lightly. "Enter," came Kingsley's deep baritone through the wooden door. She stepped into the room to see ministry workers from various departments sat around the minister at a round table. She sat herself down in a chair next to a woman from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"I came as soon as I got the message, Minister," Hermione said as she settled into her seat.

"Excellent," Kingsley replied. "I think that's everyone. Dedworth?" He enquired to the Head of Aurors who sat on his left. "You can begin."

Dedworth, the auror stood up and cleared his throat. "Now, I am sure that you are all aware about the circumstances surrounding the murder of a ministry employee following the break-in at the Department of Mysteries on Sunday night?" There was a murmur of ascent from all around the table. "This afternoon we were contacted by the group we believe orchestrated said crime," Dedworth paused to let the information sink in.

Hermione felt a shiver of dread in the silence. "We received a note, written once again in blood, that demanded certain things of the ministry."

"What demands?" Interjected a bald man with a German accent from the International Magical Office of Law.

Dedworth sent the man a hard glance. "I was getting to it Dehoff!" He snapped irritably. "This group has demanded that the Minister resign due to his close relationship with Harry Potter and 'obvious favouritism', that it is in the best interests of the magic community for the Ministry to keep track and police each witch and wizard's blood status –"

"Outrageous!" Cried the woman next to Hermione. Hermione had to agree with her.

"They also say that it is a suppression of their freedom of speech to outlaw pureblood supremacist groups, and that if the ministry does not allow them to practice openly then they will make themselves known to the public through any means necessary –"

"Presumably violence," muttered Scott Eastchurch, a young auror.

"This must have taken a lot of blood to write..." a spokesman from the International Confederation of Wizards said queasily.

"And finally, they demand that objects in the Department of Mysteries be available to the general population, provided they pass a blood status check –"

Hermione couldn't contain herself anymore. "That is possibly the most ludicrous demand of the lot! Any object in the Department is dangerous and not fully explained! What makes them think that we will take any notice of this blatant attempt at intimidation?" Ordinarily Hermione would have been scandalised at the suggestion of interrupting the Head of Aurors but the fear and rage the news had left her with had overridden any manners.

"The letter was not the only thing they sent, Miss Granger," Kingsley answered wearily.

"Indeed," concurred Dedworth. "They also sent this," he said flinging a dismembered hand down on the table.

Someone in the room let out a little squeak of horror and the spokesman from the International Confederation fell into a dead faint. The grizzly present lay in the middle of the table, the corpse-pale flesh making the golden ring on the middle finger stand out all the more. Hermione peered at the ring and felt horrid stab of recognition.

"Is that...?" She began.

"This hand belongs to Director Gawain Robards of the Department of Mysteries. He did not turn up for work this morning and there are signs of a struggle at his house," Dedworth said grimly.

"Oh Merlin," Hermione breathed as she wracked her brains for the last time she saw Robards. It had been yesterday with Harry, she hadn't seen him all morning.

"What course of action do you suggest Dedworth?" Kingsley asked as the auror removed the hand from the table.

"Firstly, everyone in this room is expected to keep the news to themselves – we simply cannot allow the press to get hold of this information it would be a public relations nightmare. Secondly, we must allow this group to see that we take their actions seriously, if we learnt anything from Minster Fudge it is that pretending something isn't there doesn't make it go away," Dedworth said as he sat down.

"You can't be suggesting that we give them what they want?" Hermione exclaimed.

"No, Granger, but in hostage situations we must tread very carefully," Dedworth said with a sigh.

There was a brief silence in the room, Hermione could almost hear the news sinking in to peoples' heads.

"Sir?" She asked Dedworth nervously.

"Granger?" He replied.

"What are this group calling themselves?" She swallowed against a sensation of anxious nausea.

Dedworth took a deep breath and rubbed his wrinkled brow. "I am afraid it's a name we're all rather familiar with: the Death Eaters."

o0o

Hermione walked back to the Death Chamber, the disturbing meeting still playing in her head. How could the Death Eaters believe that they would be able to achieve anything without the fear and warped genius of Voldemort? Surely they would make a mistake without the totalitarian rule of Voldemort and his wealth of dark knowledge?

Suddenly, a connection snapped together in her head and all thoughts of Death Eaters dropped. "How could I have been so stupid?" She exclaimed to herself as she raced up to the Veil.

It was all so clear. Someone in the Veil's long history had made a mistake when retracing the runes onto the stone! Instead of the rune Laguz, which stood for renewal and return, someone had inscribed Eihwaz and as a result had strengthened the pull of the Veil making it impossible for one to return.

Hermione pulled her wand out and erased the faded rune she had been examining before the summons to the meeting. She then carefully engraved the shape of a backwards seven and watched as the runes around the Veil shimmered as though filled with molten silver. It was so simple! How could she have missed it?

If her research was correct then she could step through the Veil and return safely, hopefully with Sirius in tow. It was a big risk; she could still end up trapped there. There was no telling whether the ancient and neglected structure would withstand her intrusion. With the events of the day ringing in her mind and her concern for Harry only growing, she closed her eyes, summoned all of her Gryffindor courage, and took the plunge through the archway.

Hermione felt like she had been drenched in cold water, as though someone had cast a disillusionment charm on her. When she opened her eyes she was stood in a place that existed only in shades of grey, with a strangely substantial mist fogging her vision. Dark shapes seemed to loom in the distance as the mist moved in lazy waves.

This was it.

Hermione took several steps forward and readied herself to begin her search. However triumph and excitement turned to icy cold fear as a pair of wraith-like arms wrapped themselves tightly across her face.

Kicking desperately against her assailant Hermione tried to scream and draw breath with no avail against the vice-like grip and felt a wave of dizziness begin to fog her mind...

* * *

**A/N: **Please review – I love to hear what you think :D


	8. Back To Black

**Disclaimer: I still don't own Harry Potter.**

**A/N: **So here's chapter 8, early this week as promised. I know I left it on a cliffhanger and I'm sorry - but not really :p But thank you all so much for being wonderful reviewers and I hope that you enjoy this next installment!

Incidentally, if you're looking for a wicked HG/SB fic then give The Lover by **rileypotter17 **a go, don't let the setting put you off - it's got all your favourite characters in it and plenty of HermionexSirius goodness :P

* * *

Chapter 8: Back to Black

* * *

"What do you mean she's gone?" Exclaimed Harry as he exploded into the minister's office.

"Calm down Harry," Remus said placing a comforting hand on the younger wizard's shoulder. Harry shrugged his hand away and turned on him.

"Calm down!" His bottle green eyes widened. "Hermione disappears under the ministry's nose, she could be kidnapped or dead, and you are telling me to calm down?" He roared. Remus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Harry," Kingsley said, drawing their attention. "We don't believe that Hermione was kidnapped," He said as he splayed his hands on the table and pushed some paper towards Harry and Remus. Harry's eyes scanned the paper littered with Hermione's spidery writing.

"What are these?" He asked in confusion.

"Why don't you both take a seat?" Kingsley asked as he conjured two chairs behind the men. They both sat quietly, Harry fidgeting and becoming increasingly red in the face. Remus folded his hands on the table and glanced at Harry worriedly, "I suppose you should fill us in, Kingsley."

The minister sighed and ran a hand over his bald head. "When Hermione didn't clock out of the Department on Tuesday I sent someone down to check on her – you know how she sometimes forgets what time it is when she's working. When they went to the room where she was working they found it empty except from her research notes –"

"Wait!" Harry interrupted waving his hands. "You're telling me that Hermione has been missing for _four days_ and neither of you saw fit to tell me?" He ran a hand through his unruly black hair.

"I had to give sufficient time for any possible kidnappers to contact us," Kingsley replied as he fiddled with his earring. "As it is, we've no reason to suspect she was kidnapped."

"It sounds like a bloody kidnapping to me," Harry muttered darkly.

"Harry has a point Kingsley, it sounds as if Hermione was intending to return either immediately or never intended to leave. There's no way she'd just leave her notes lying there," Remus said with a shake of his head.

Kingsley gave a sigh. "How much do you know about Hermione's current research project?" He asked.

"I know it was related to that cache of documents she found, but she's always pretty tight-lipped about her work," Remus said.

"She told me it was something to do with Arithmancy," Harry added.

"Right," Kingsley said. "Well this may come as a bit of a shock to you both but Hermione was actually investigating the Veil; the document she discovered seems to unravel its secrets."

"The Veil?" Harry croaked out.

"You don't think she'd have...?" Remus couldn't complete his question. "Surely she wouldn't be so stupid," He muttered to himself.

"The inscriptions around the Veil seem to have been activated in some way. We believe that Hermione has passed through it," Kingsley said.

A terrible silence permeated the room as Harry and Remus let the information sink in.

"So she's...dead?" Harry asked quietly, his eyes shining with grief.

"We're not sure Harry," Kingsley replied. "It seems as though Hermione thought she could return from the Veil as a result of her findings."

"Well someone should go in after her then – she could be in trouble!" Harry exclaimed, half rising from his chair.

"Harry, we can't risk sending anyone in. If Hermione has gone through the Veil then it is fair to assume that she knew what she was doing. You know her, she wouldn't risk it if she wasn't certain," Remus said.

"I think it's my fault," Harry said.

"You can't blame yourself," Remus soothed.

"On Monday we were in the Death Chamber and I was talking about how much I missed Sirius... how guilty I still felt. Oh Merlin, I think she's gone to try and find him for me..." tears coursed down Harry's pale face.

"Harry, you can't blame yourself, I think the lure of the academic discovery alone would have drawn her to explore it. She could be fine," Remus said with a solemn voice.

"She's been gone for days!" Harry wept.

"Well, that's not necessarily an issue," Kingsley said.

"What?" Harry and Remus said together.

"From her research there is evidence that time runs differently within the Veil. She might not even realise that she's been gone that long," He replied.

"Sod it," Harry swore to himself.

"Look, I think that you should both go home and get some rest. I'll keep you informed," Kingsley said. Harry and Remus replied with nods and said their farewells to the minister before leaving the room.

o0o

Hermione struggled desperately against the foul corpse-like arms that constricted her throat and muted her screams. She tried to pry the cold limbs away from her face with no avail. She was dying. She'd never get to see Harry, or Remus, or Teddy again, she'd never get to grow old, and she wouldn't even pass over to the afterlife.

Her legs kicked wildly but never seemed to connect with her assailant. It had all gone horribly wrong. How could she have considered wandering into the Veil without telling anyone? Terror fuelled her attempts to escape and oddly she found herself reliving her first year at Hogwarts, when she, Harry and Ron had been trapped in Devil's Snare.

Of course!

Letting her hands drop she fumbled in her pocket for her wand and sent a non-verbal _'Incendio!' _at the thing behind her. With an inhuman shriek her assailant flung itself away from her as it burst into bright orange flames. "Fuck you," Hermione rasped at the flailing creature.

She staggered away from it and found her legs couldn't quite support her weight; she slumped to the floor. She'd almost forgotten her wand in the panic. The thing that had grabbed her lay writhing in agony, as she studied it Hermione realised that the lower half of its decaying body had faded away into a smoke-like shadow of legs. It had no discernible face, just a gaping maw where its head should have been. Shuddering to herself Hermione watched as it twitched its way into ashes.

Logic pounded in her mind and screamed that she should turn back, exit through the archway and go through the proper procedures to investigate. The world around her seemed to shudder, as though rocked by some small earthquake. Panting against the adrenaline coursing through her veins Hermione glanced wildly around. She wasn't sure if the structure would still be standing if she travelled back again. Now she was in the Beyond, this was her only chance to try and find Sirius.

Shakily, Hermione clambered to her feet and held her wand out before her. "Lumos," She whispered and the tip of her wand lit up, illuminating her way forwards. She left a thin silver trail of magic behind her, like a mental safety cord, so that she could find her way back and then stepped into the mist to begin her search.

Hermione walked for an unknowable amount of time, forcing herself to put one foot in front of the other and blink through the mist. Occasionally she would see a dark figure huddled in the mist but wary investigation revealed none to be Sirius and all to be too far gone in their assimilation with the very substance of the Veil.

Doubt and despair crept in around Hermione's heart as the likelihood of finding Sirius whole dwindled. She feared that she would stumble upon him and find that his body and soul had already become too intertwined with the mist that plagued the place.

Another dark shape loomed out of the fog and Hermione cautiously paused and stepped towards it. The shape was moving slightly and she could hear shallow, laboured breath. This body was not as advanced in its decline as those she had previously encountered but as a result it posed more of a threat to her. Casting a couple of precautionary wards around herself, Hermione inched closer and closer to the dark shape that she could now make out to be a person curled into a foetal position.

The body didn't seem to be moving anywhere fast and so with her heart pounding against her ribcage, Hermione knelt beside it and rolled it over. She gasped.

"Sirius!" She whispered urgently. The fevered face of Sirius Black looked up at her with an unseeing gaze. He hadn't aged; in fact he looked exactly as he had as he'd fallen through the Veil. A small mocking smile graced his lips but his eyes were unseeing. If she hadn't seen the occasional blinks or the shallow rise and fall of his chest, she would have presumed him dead.

"Oh, Sirius," She said again, smoothing the lines over his brow and pushing a lustrous lock of black hair from his face. "I hope you're still in there... I'm here to bring you back to us, to Harry," She whispered as she cast a nonverbal _mobilicorpus_ spell and began to guide herself and Sirius back to the archway.

Sirius gave a groan as Hermione clumsily caught him after releasing him from the spell. "Sorry," she said quietly, "but I can't sustain a spell while we go through the Veil." Sirius seemed to rally slightly and bore some of his weight himself. Still, he was heavy and Hermione staggered towards the curtain of mist desperately hoping that they would both return intact.

Gripping Sirius tightly, Hermione plunged headfirst into the mist.

o0o

Kingsley Shacklebolt looked up from his paperwork with a frown. It had been six days since Hermione's disappearance and he had only just begun the mountain of paperwork the incident had caused. The office shook as though a large train had just gone hurtling past the window. Waving his wand he spoke clearly into the empty room. "Undersecretary Clutterbuck?"

"Minister?" Grizel Clutterbuck's voice replied via the wand-communications-system.

"Can you pinpoint the seismic disturbance that we are currently experiencing?" At one point Kingsley would have been baffled at having to ask such a ridiculous question, but after spending a few hours as Minster he quickly found that he had to be prepared for the most unpredictable situations; the incident involving a batch of cursed eccles cakes in the Ministry canteen on his first day had been most unpleasant.

"The Department of Mysteries, sir," replied Clutterbuck.

Kingsley leapt to his feet and tore towards the lift down to the Department of Mysteries; he would stake his job on the disturbance being Hermione returning.

o0o

Hermione opened her eyes and panicked as she struggled to breathe. An irrational part of her brain declared that she was still being throttled by the Veil-creature and she flailed involuntarily. Her knee connected with something.

"Arrrgh!" Exclaimed the thing constricting her breathing. It rolled off her and she took a gasp of air. "Those were my balls," Gasped a familiar voice.

"Sirius?" She asked as her eyes flew open. Hermione rolled over to look at the man curled on the stone dais.

"The one and only," he choked out. "You sure know how to make a guy feel loved," Sirius said as he rolled over.

Hermione could barely stop grinning, the implications of what had just happened spinning endlessly in her head.

"Merlin, I feel like I've been asleep for a week," Sirius groaned as he sat up and ran a hand through long, dark hair. "Hey, where is everyone? When did you change out of your school robes? Why do I really want a steak? Did I do my evil-bitch-queen cousin in? I have to admit I am impressed with my duelling," Sirius babbled happily.

"Uh..." Hermione sat staring at the man before her, taking in the way his eyes lit up with life.

"Hermione!" Kingsley called from behind her. "You're back!"

"How did you know I was gone?" Hermione asked after a minute, as she sat up and rubbed her face.

"You've been gone for a week!" Kingsley exclaimed. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. A week? Oh God, Harry and Remus must be out of their minds with worry!" Hermione replied as she stood up shakily.

"Is that...?" Kingsley trailed off as his eyes fixed on Sirius who was preening himself.

"Hey Kingsley!" Sirius said cheerfully.

"Minister, I am so, so sorry for just disappearing – I had no idea the time difference would be so big... I figured a couple of hours..." Hermione said.

"Why are you calling him Minister?" Sirius asked as he stood up.

"I'm the Minister of Magic now," Kingsley explained.

"Sir, I don't think that we should overload him with information, he could be disorientated," Hermione interjected.

"What the fuck is going on?" Sirius demanded.

"Do you remember the duel with Bellatrix?" Hermione asked him.

"Of course," Sirius scoffed.

"You remember the Veil?" She continued.

"If you mean getting caught up in that curtain thing, then yes," He replied, looking at Hermione as though she was mad.

"Well, it was a bit more complex than that," She said trying not to blurt everything out into Sirius' face.

"How?" Sirius asked, putting all his aristocratic air behind his words.

"You've been missing, presumed dead, for some time," Hermione sighed.

"What for a few weeks?" He asked as though unsure of himself.

"No," Kingsley replied after Hermione failed to find words. "Sirius, you've been missing for over five years."

"Merlin's balls on a barbeque," Sirius said weakly as he swayed on the spot and fainted.

* * *

**A/N: **Go on, review, you know you want to ;)


	9. Changes

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Harry Potter.

**A/N: **Okay, here's the reunion between Remus and Sirius, I hope you all enjoy. Sirius isn't quite back to his old self yet but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

* * *

Chapter 9: Changes 

* * *

Hermione sat in the waiting room at St Mungo's rolling her shoulders to ease the tension that had knotted there. With Kingsley's help she had managed to transport Sirius to the hospital to ensure the Veil had not damaged him in any significant way. Sirius had been unconscious for the majority of the journey, only rousing once they'd levitated him onto a stretcher. Kingsley had immediately repealed Sirius' death certificate and handed all the relevant documents over to Hermione, trusting her to take him back to Grimmauld Place after they were done at the hospital.

The whole situation felt slightly surreal. Not only was it odd looking and speaking to someone you had believed dead for years, she also felt an awkwardness with Sirius that she hadn't been anticipating. Hermione hadn't considered the possibility that Sirius would be in the same mindset as he was when he entered the Veil. Whereas the world had moved on around him and was recovering from the long and bitter war, Sirius still seemed to be coming to terms with the idea that Voldemort had even returned.

With a sigh Hermione shifted in the uncomfortable plastic seat and fiddled with the documents in her hands. It was bound to be strange, she attempted to reassure herself, and after all she was now looking at Sirius through an adult's eyes rather than the eyes of a precocious teenager. They had all been so much younger when Sirius had fallen through the Veil and as a result her relationship with him had never changed to a friendship rather than a guardianship, as it had with Remus and other adult Order members. This was going to be much harder for everyone to adjust to than she had ever anticipated.

A scream from Sirius' cubicle caused Hermione to leap to her feet and crash into a man who had managed to transfigure his head into a teapot. Apologising, she stumbled tore the curtains that divided the cubicle open and frantically sought the source of distress.

A terrified mediwitch stumbled into Hermione and pointed at Sirius, who sat sulkily on the bed. "It's him – Sirius Black!" The witch stammered in horror.

"Oh, for goodness sakes, have you never read a newspaper?"Hermione asked irritably as she handed over the documents that proclaimed Sirius' innocence. The mediwitch scanned the paper, the look of fear slowly fading from her face.

"Oh," She said. "I apologise sir, a healer will be with you shortly to discuss your results," she muttered as she handed back the papers and ducked out the room.

Hermione rolled her eyes and pulled the curtain back across the cubicle. "Are you okay?" She asked Sirius who was frowning and staring off at nothing.

"I suppose I am," he replied giving her a small smile. "I just assumed that after the battle in the Department of Mysteries it would have been reported that I was innocent," he said with a shrug.

"It was," Hermione replied. "But the news was a bit overshadowed by Voldemort storming into the ministry and parading about in front of Fudge and half the ministry's employees," she said wryly.

"Huh, makes sense," he said before falling silent again.

Hermione shuffled the paper in her hands and tried to ignore the uncomfortable silence. "I know this is a bit weird, Sirius," She said with a sigh.

"A bit weird?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "The last time I saw you, Hermione, you looked like a mop in a school uniform!"

"My hair isn't that bad," she muttered, self-consciously patting the unruly curls.

"The point is, one minute you were all kids and now you've..." he gestured towards her. "Now you've turned into an adult – now Harry will be an adult – and I've missed it all," he said sadly.

"I'm sorry, Sirius," she replied.

Before he could respond, the Healer marched in and told Sirius that he was free to go and seemed to be in perfect health.

"So where to now?" Sirius asked as he shrugged on his jacket.

"Grimmauld Place, of course," Hermione said and urged him towards the floo.

"People still live there?" He asked. Hermione could almost see the images of a grim and decrepit Grimmauld Place going through his mind.

"Trust me, you'll be surprised," She replied and threw a handful of floo powder into the fireplace before stepping in.

Hermione stepped out of the fireplace and glanced around the main sitting room at Grimmauld Place. Judging by the quiet, Remus was out with Teddy; perhaps that was a good thing. Sirius stepped out and stood next to her. "Welcome home," she said smiling at Sirius.

Sirius stepped forward tentatively and peered around the room with his mouth slightly open. "What happened to this place?" he asked as he took in the plush chairs, mahogany furniture, and repapered walls that were peppered with photographs.

"Remus and I did the place up when we moved in," she replied and gestured around.

"It's so..." Sirius trailed off as he wandered over to a string of photographs.

"Clean?" Hermione said.

"Yeah," he replied with a nod. "What are all these?" Sirius asked looking at a sequence of photographs.

Hermione stepped up beside Sirius and looked at the photographs with a small smile on her face. "I thought the first one was kind of obvious," she said softly, pointing at the photo of Sirius, Remus and James at the Potters' wedding.

"Well, yeah," Sirius replied with a roll of his eyes. "I meant all these – hang on one minute... is that my cousin?" he exclaimed pointing at the photograph of Remus and Tonks' wedding.

"Yep," Hermione replied. "They got married in the summer after our sixth year," she said with a smile.

"Moony, you old dog," Sirius laughed with a shake of his head.

"This one is everyone at Bill Weasley's wedding to Fleur Delacour – just before Harry, Ron and I went on the run."

"Whoa – you went on the run?" Sirius asked looking at Hermione with both surprise and appraisal.

"Mhmm, it's a long story," Hermione replied wryly.

"What the hell happened to Bill's face? And where's Dumbledore – I would have thought he'd have attended?" Sirius asked peering at the group photo.

"Bill was attacked by Fenrir Greyback a few months before the wedding –"

"Morganna's flaming panties..." Sirius muttered running a hand through his hair.

"Don't worry though, he's not contracted full lycanthropy as Greyback wasn't transformed," Hermione finished quickly trying to skirt around the Dumbledore question.

"So where's Dum-"

Hermione and Sirius fell silent as the front door opened and the sound of Teddy chatting happily away filled the house. "Remus is back," Hermione said quietly. "Uh, just sit there Sirius – I'll bring him through in a minute."

"Remus!" She said, plastering a broad smile on her face as she walked into the hallway. Remus looked up from taking Teddy's wellington boots off.

"Hermione? Where the hell have you been?" He asked, standing suddenly and dropping the boot he was holding.

"Well, it's a long story but –"

"Long story? You disappear for nearly a week with no explanation, no note, no nothing, and long story is all you can say to explain it?" The agitation was clear in Remus' voice. Teddy sat quietly on the floor playing with his socks.

"Well no but –"

"Kingsley told us where you went," Remus said, interrupting her again. "How could you have been so stupid? It was completely unlike you. Harry and I have been frantic, Kingsley nearly had a fit, McGonagall nearly took my head off when he forced me to tell her in case she 'knew anything', and I accidentally dyed all of Teddy's pants pink because I can't use that muggle contraption in there –"

"Pink pants," Teddy concurred with a solemn nod.

"Remus – please let me explain –"

"No need, Hermione, I know why you did it," Remus said with a weary sigh, his agitation fading from his face. "But he's dead, you must know that, what did you hope to achieve?"

"This!" Sirius exclaimed as he exploded into the hallway with his arms wide.

"Argggh!" Remus cried and recoiled, shoving Teddy behind him and grabbing his wand. "_Petrificus Totalus!_"

"Remus!" Hermione scolded as Sirius' legs and arms snapped together and he fell to the floor with a crash. "Was that really necessary?" She asked, kneeling down beside Sirius and checking his head for any injuries.

"That is not Sirius – Sirius is dead," Remus said breathlessly before stepping away and sliding down the door to sit on the floor.

Hermione looked at Remus, who was sat on the floor with a confused looking Teddy. "Remus, Kingsley and I questioned him and they even examined him at St Mungo's," she said softly.

"I just... I can't..." he replied, shaking his head.

"Just talk to him," Hermione implored.

"Fine," Remus said as he took a breath. "Let's do this in the sitting room, shall we?" He said as he stood up and took his son into the other room.

"_Finite Incantatem_," Hermione said as she waved her wand over Sirius.

"What the fuck did he do that for?" Sirius asked as he sat up and scowled in Remus' direction.

"Well what would you do if someone you believed dead just turned up out of the blue?" Hermione asked.

Sirius waved his hands. "The first thing I'd do is ask them what was going on – not hex them into oblivion," he said with a peevish sniff.

"Oh honestly, don't be such a drama queen, it was only a body bind," Hermione said as she helped him to his feet. "Come on, then."

Remus eyed Sirius suspiciously as he sat down in an armchair. "How do I know it's really you?" Remus asked.

"Like there could ever be another one of me," Sirius scoffed as he lazily leant back.

"What's my name?" Remus demanded.

"Merlin," Sirius said rolling his eyes.

"For god's sake Sirius, answer his questions," Hermione said irritably.

"Fine, fine," Sirius replied as he looked at Remus. "Remus John Lupin, we went to school together at Hogwarts, you're a werewolf, you like chocolate –"

"Anyone could find out that information," Remus replied stiffly.

"Bloody hell..." Sirius muttered. "Once in fifth year we James and I convinced everyone you had the hots for McGonagall,"

Remus winced.

"When we were in third year you got so drunk on firewhiskey that you pissed yourself. And there was this other time when we stole your clothes and wand from the prefects' bathroom and you had to run –"

"Stop, stop!" Remus pleaded, with the ghost of a smile on his lips. "It's really you," he breathed.

"It's really me, Moony," Sirius said as he stood up.

Remus shot out of his seat and embraced Sirius in a bear hug. "I missed you Padfoot," he said with emotion cracking his voice.

"I'd say the same but I didn't even realise I was missing," Sirius replied as he thumped Remus on the back.

Hermione picked up Teddy and sniffled into his shoulder as she watched the emotional moment unfold between the two friends. Going into the Veil had been worth it just for this moment, she thought as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"Okay, Moony, this hug is lovely but I'm going to have to step away so that I can breathe," Sirius said croakily. "And recover my some of my masculinity," he muttered with a grin as he sat down.

"I just can't believe it," Remus replied, his eyes shining with emotion.

"Daddy," Teddy said and wriggled out of Hermione's arms to comfort his father.

"Hey, Teddy," Remus said as he pulled the boy up onto his lap.

Sirius blinked as if seeing the boy for the first time. "Is that your son?" He asked breathlessly.

"Yeah," Remus replied. "Mine and Dora's son. Say hi to your Uncle Sirius, Teddy," Remus said. The toddler looked shyly at Sirius and then changed his hair black.

"He's a metamorphmagus," Sirius said.

"And a great little wizard in the making," Hermione said happily.

"Wow," Sirius said quietly. "Where's my cousin then?" He asked cheerily.

Remus and Hermione froze at his question. "What?" Sirius asked.

"She, uh, she died during the last battle against Voldemort," Remus explained softly.

"Oh, Merlin... Remus... I'm sorry..." Sirius seemed to be fighting a host of emotions.

"I'm going to go and contact Harry," Remus said, standing up and leaving the room.

"A lot has changed," Sirius said after a time.

"Yeah, it has," Hermione replied. "Are you okay?"

"I think so," Sirius replied shakily.

"Harry should be here soon," Remus said as he came back into the room. "He's apparating now."

Hermione drew in a deep breath and waited nervously. All three of them looked up sharply at the knock at the front door.

"I'll get the door," Hermione said and left the two men in the sitting room.

This was it, she thought as her hand turned the door handle.

* * *

**A/N: **I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm going away for a week, as of tomorrow, so I won't be updating until after the 20th – sorry about that!

Don't forget to leave a review ;)


End file.
